What’s Cooking in 2025
Food Trends and Fun Cuisines to Try Now
If you’re feeling stuck in a recipe rut or looking for new ways to bring excitement into your kitchen, you’re not alone. 2025 is proving to be a culinary turning point, with fresh food trends and playful global flavors reshaping how we cook and eat at home. From climate-conscious cooking to crave-worthy viral dishes, there’s never been a better time to explore new ingredients, techniques, and cuisines.
This long-form guide dives into the most exciting food trends of the year and introduces global cuisines that are fun, approachable, and worth cooking at home.
1. Climate-Conscious and Root-to-Stem Eating
Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s transforming how people shop, prep, and eat. Home cooks are increasingly:
Embracing plant-forward diets with a focus on legumes, ancient grains, and seasonal veggies.
Practicing root-to-stem cooking, using parts of vegetables once discarded—think carrot top pesto or broccoli stem stir-fries.
Reducing food waste by pickling, fermenting, or freezing leftovers and scraps.
Pro Tip: Keep a freezer bin for scraps (onion skins, herb stems) to make your own vegetable broth.
2. The Rise of Global Comfort Foods
While comfort food remains king, it’s going global. 2025 has seen a surge in home cooks exploring these rich, cozy dishes:
Korean: Gochujang-glazed chicken, kimchi fried rice, and tteokbokki.
Filipino: Adobo, sinigang (sour tamarind soup), and lumpia.
West African: Peanut stew, jollof rice, and plantain-based dishes.
These cuisines deliver bold flavors and are ideal for batch cooking or communal meals.
3. “FoodTok” Hits: Viral Recipes with Staying Power
TikTok continues to shape what we eat, with trends like:
Butter boards: Creative flavor boards for entertaining.
Crispy rice bowls: Combining texture with nutrition.
Upside-down puff pastry tarts: Sweet or savory, these are easy and visually impressive.
While not every trend has longevity, many inspire at-home experimentation with new ingredients or formats.
4. Fermentation, Pickling, and Gut-Friendly Foods
Probiotic-rich foods are having a moment. Home fermentation kits are booming, and people are making:
Kimchi and sauerkraut
Kombucha and kefir
Yogurt and sourdough
These trends combine health with flavor—and a little kitchen science.
5. Fun Cuisines to Explore in Your Own Kitchen
If you’re up for culinary exploration, here are some globally inspired cuisines that are both flavorful and fun to try:
Peruvian: Ceviche, lomo saltado, and aji verde sauce
Levantine (Eastern Mediterranean): Mezze platters, muhammara, tabbouleh, and za'atar flatbreads
Vietnamese: Pho, bánh mì, and fresh spring rolls
Turkish: Simit (sesame bread), gözleme (stuffed flatbread), and eggplant dishes
Southern Indian: Dosas, coconut chutneys, and sambar
6. Cooking as a Social Ritual
Cooking is evolving into a shared experience. Whether it’s:
Hosting potlucks where everyone brings a dish from a different culture
Virtual cooking clubs
Teaching kids to cook family heritage recipes
Cooking together builds connection and cultural appreciation.
Whether you’re trying your hand at West African peanut stew or fermenting your first batch of kimchi, 2025’s food trends offer a delicious path toward creativity, sustainability, and fun. Let your kitchen be your passport and your plate a playground. Food is culture, comfort, and community—and this year, there’s more flavor than ever waiting for you to discover.
